moon-ghosts and iron roads,

the night is full of white bones,
skulls in my jacket,

the horizon scurries to
free itself drawing in
its breath,

there is nothing earthly here
no love, no bird knotting the sky with its wings.

Doesn't know
How am going to be without him

Will I Cry
Or will I Die

Doesn't know
How am going to be without him

Even with you am crying and dying
How could I without you
My darling




LONGING

The midnight alley cats sing harmony
The fire and police
Lay down the backbone and the beat
to summon music from the street
The ambulance then takes the lead
they drive Daly away
They could have just called up a hearse
the stench of death will stay
The dogs are barking
Howling wolves can hear it far away
No need to light a river fire
was ninety-eight today
too many homeless died last winter
too many homeless in the seat today

Waking breath ghostly frozen, clang of ***-belly stove opening, cedar crackles good morning, sap sizzles, pops, melting.  Warmth finds children sleeping, humid air, mouth-breathing.  Smell of boy sweat and feet, young women ripely sweet.  

Cats purring, stirring, padding quiet down stairs, weave meowing through mom's legs.  Dented percolator burbles better days, snap of toast burned haze, molten mush bubbles burst, fade.  Birds early on the highway Paradise-seeking, time, flash-burned, fleeting. Cobalt jay mockingly complains, chickadee sings his own name, coyote wails, thin and plain.  

Children rise, sleep in their eyes, squabble over bathroom prize, eldest wins, click, locks herself in.  Hurry, hurry the bus is coming, ancient driver, annoyed and honking.  Brown-bag lunches crinkled running, feet slapping, seats squeaking, lungs hot and bursting.  Ride the dawn breaking, hearts aching for more than this, rural bliss.

Stop sign flashes caution, young lovers in the back seat, bodies in motion.  Stop, start, sway on down the highway. Engine mimics hot blood lust, accelerated diesel rush, nothing can stop us. You grab my knee - young, carefree.  Brakes sigh and hiss, sneak one last kiss. You mouth - meet me later, we'll sneak out, rush to a future we haven't got, ready or not.  

The old road at dusk, frog song accompanies us, bike wheels on the asphalt hum, forbidden moonlight run.  Feel your heartbeat on my spine, frantic drumming matching mine. Horned owl hoots, forlorn and bleak, a premonition we refuse to heed, reckless with need. In the clearing young love begins, forget-me-knots on burning skin.

Killing has become too easy and life has become too cheap. Many put the blame on an implement and not the person who wields it. Banning a thing never works as it causes it to be wanted more and enriches those who do not regard the law. The teaching of morality is our failure. The idea of civil discourse has been replaced with a selfish nature as the lesson of the day. Only when we accept that we are our own worst enemies and stop Blaming an object for our actions, will we begin to resolve our problems without violence and come to realize that guns aren't the problem.

A carpenter found driftwood
From a wreck upon the sea
He looked at it with interest
What kind would it be?

He found that it was oaken
Mighty, strong and hale
But it had been broken
By tempest and by gale

He was building houses
From such sturdy oak
So he took the driftwood
Upon it for to work

He carved with sharpened chisels
He began to sand
He had red, raw cuts of pain
And splinters in his hands

He worked with it patiently
Imposed on it his will
It will be something wondrous
He's working on it still

He loves that piece of driftwood
He salvaged from the sea
For the Carpenter is Jesus

And that piece of wood is ME


SoulSurvivor
(C) 6/23/2016

Light up another cigarette,
It's all I do since you left,
Hold a gun to my head,
No promises were ever kept.

Finish off another whiskey bottle,
Around my neck a rope will throttle,
Time doesn't heal things,
I wish I had you here to sing.

I keep your notes locked away;
For when I miss you the next day,
I'll read your words and sing your songs,
Then spark up another ****.

So what if these things are killing me?
I'm dying everyday that you're not with me,
I wanted a future with you,
But now all we have is history.